


Where Christmas Finds You

by HartSense26809



Category: The Flash
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Love at First Sight, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-29 02:44:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17195012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HartSense26809/pseuds/HartSense26809
Summary: Barry Allen and Iris West unexpectedly meet again after not seeing each other since high school and circumstances beyond their control force them to spend the night together. Will they reconnect? Will they fall in love? It’s Christmas time and anything can happen for these two.





	Where Christmas Finds You

**Author's Note:**

> Merry belated Christmas and Happy belated holidays to everyone. I had intended to have this ready by Christmas but that obviously didn’t happen. I’ve been so inspired by all these romantic, holiday fics that I tried to write one of my own. Now this is only my second fan fiction work and I find fluff and romance incredibly challenging to write so I hope everyone keeps that in mind while they are reading this. I hope you enjoy this little slice of WestAllen romance.

Iris West parked her car at the local Whole Foods Market. It had been a long day at the magazine she was a journalist and features editor for, Central City Picture News, and she was dead tired but it had started to snow and with no food and barely any water in her apartment she thought it best to stock up as the light snow was threatening to turn into a heavy storm.

Braving the snow as she stepped out of her car, she realized how unprepared she was for this weather. Her overcoat was too thin, her heels were too high and her dress was too tight to make an expedient entry to the supermarket. She had forgotten her scarf & gloves at work & her cashmere hat was getting wet from the snow, which thoroughly irritated Iris, that hat was expensive. But ever the fierce woman, Iris triumphed, she grabbed her cart & started to shop.

She was trying to remember the mental shopping list of everything she needed: all the necessities, speciality items just in case she was snowed in and most especially the luxuries, red wine and mint chocolate chip ice cream. She made her way through the store, aisle after aisle, grabbing everything she needed and she couldn’t help but notice how many couples she saw. Everywhere her eyes glanced people were paired off and looked loved up and it left her with a feeling of both happiness & melancholy. It was Christmas Eve and she was of course happy to see that the holiday spirit had filled so many people with love but she also realized how much she missed that kind of love in her life. It had been two years since she and Scott Evans had broke up & while she didn’t miss him in the least, she did miss the warmth of someone, the touch of someone, the electric look you exchange with someone that leads to the best kind of love.

While completely lost in the thought of love, standing in the ice cream aisle gazing at her mint chocolate chip choices, she heard her name.

“Iris? Iris West?”

Iris turned to face the man that was saying her name. She looked into the beauty of his green eyes & instantly felt her heart begin to beat faster. And in the next moment she realized there was a familiarity about him that she couldn’t quite place.

The gentleman noticed the look of both kindness & confusion on her face and said, “It’s me, Barry Allen, we went to high school together, I was the guy that had a huge cr……”

Iris’s eyes grew wide with excitement and she clapped her hands together, “Oh my gosh, Barry Allen, of course, look at you, wow, come here,” and just as Iris was about to envelope Barry in one of her biggest bear hugs she slipped on the already slick floor and fell right on her butt. Iris looked up at Barry as she sheepishly bit her bottom lip and Barry looked down at her with a small smirk on his face and a twinkle in his eye and together they let out a laugh that could be heard all over the store.

“Here, let me help you,” Barry said as he reached down and grabbed both the hands that Iris extended to him and he pulled her up. He wasn’t quite sure how it happened but a moment later Iris was in his arms, with the best hello hug he ever had and he couldn’t have been happier. She felt so right in his arms.

Barry had moved back to Central City a year ago after eight years away of college, travel and work and he was glad to be home. He loved the life he had built for himself abroad. Being an architect was all he had ever wanted, he studied and apprenticed with some of the greatest architects in Europe. He had worked on many successful projects that lead to acclaim and financial stability but there had been one thing missing in his life. Home. A feeling of home, a sense of home, the love that comes with knowing you have found the special person that becomes your home. He especially felt that longing for home at the holidays. Being an only child & his parents were deceased he only had his friends to spend the holiday with, which he was grateful for, but he nonetheless still felt an emptiness inside. In fact, he had been regretting coming to Whole Foods because all he saw everywhere he turned were people in love, and that’s all he ever really wanted.

“So Barry Allen, what have you been up to?” Iris asked as she released Barry from the hug and he instantly missed her warmth. He went on to tell her the highlights of his schooling and career abroad, but Iris was only half listening. She was completely enthralled with the look of him and how astonished she was running in to him, of all people. She remembered Barry from high school as the tall, skinny boy that was shy and awkward and was often the butt of mean jokes and childish pranks. She felt pangs of guilt because while she was never involved in directly hurting him, she never did anything to stop the cruelty either. As she continued to get lost in eyes and the smooth rhythm of his voice, she heard, “Attention all shoppers, due to the increase severity of the snow storm we are requesting that all shoppers please check out now so that we may close the store and all of our workers can get home safely.”

“It must be getting bad out there,” Barry remarked, as he and Iris proceeded to the checkout.

“Yea, I heard some forecasters saying this could be the worst snow storm Central City has seen in a decade.”

“I guess it will be a white Christmas, at least that’s…..” Before Barry could finish his thought he heard, “Sir, I can check you out on lane 4.”

“Iris, why don’t you go in that lane so you can get out of here sooner and get home safely.”

Iris smiled and asked, “Are you sure?”

“Very sure, please go ahead,” Barry firmly replied.

“Well come in the lane with me. I’m sure she can check us both out and we can head out to the parking lot together.”

Barry agreed and as Iris was in front of him checking out, he couldn’t help but check her out. He didn’t want to gawk at her like a leering creep but he couldn’t believe how it was possible that she was even more beautiful than she was in high school. Her hair was longer with looser curls as opposed to the tight curls she had back then. Her face was more chiseled with high cheekbones, a sculpted jawline and lips so full they were begging to be kissed and he dared to dream that he could have that honor. And her body, that beautiful body that was as graceful as it was curvaceous. He realized that Iris had changed in some ways but in other ways she was exactly the same. She always had an energy, a light that shone from within her that drew people to her and made them want to be around her, Barry was no different. In high school, he was the outcast with one friend and Iris was the popular, pretty princess, but the difference between Iris and everyone else at Central City High School was that Iris was never part of the ugliness that followed him. She always made eye contact with him, smiled at him and when they shared classes together Iris always sat next to him. He had liked Iris so much in high school because she was a light in the dark for him.

“Your turn, Mr. Allen,” Iris said as she smiled and winked at him. She immediately regretted the wink as that might come across as too flirty, but she couldn’t help herself. There was something about Barry Allen that was magnetic and Iris didn’t want to escape the pull.

“Is she flirting with me,” Barry thought to himself and couldn’t stop the smile that was making its way across his face. “Focus Barry, she’s a nice woman, who’s very friendly, don’t read anything into it. She probably has a boyfriend.” That thought took the smile off his face as he paid for his groceries and followed Iris out to the parking lot.

The snow and the wind had really become treacherous and Iris understood why the Whole Foods closed early. She was having a hard time seeing where she was going and she was grateful that Barry was walking alongside her in the parking lot. “I’m the third car on the left Barry,” Iris said and had to almost yell so Barry could hear given how the wind was howling.

“Ok, got it,” Barry said and without Iris even having to ask him he loaded all of her groceries into her trunk and helped her to the drivers side door. He wasn’t sure what to say. He wanted to talk to her more, spend more time with her right then and there, but with the weather getting increasingly dangerous he knew he had to let her go so she could get home safely.

“It was really great seeing you again Iris, best Christmas gift I’ve gotten in a long time.”

Iris bit her bottom lip as a rush of affection filled her, “It was great to see you too Barry. You drive carefully and have a Merry Christmas,” and with that she hugged Barry.

Barry could feel her shivering in his arms, “Iris you’ve got to get in your car and get warm, you’re shivering too much,” Barry reluctantly released her from his arms, opened the drivers door and helped her inside. “Please drive carefully, take care of yourself. Bye Iris.” He closed her door, took her empty cart along with his cart and went to his car, quickly put his groceries in his car, ran both the carts to the front of the store and then ran back to his car and got in. The snow was starting to accumulate on the ground and the visibility was getting worse, fast.

“Oh you idiot,” Barry thought to himself as he settled in his car. With the rush of trying to get Iris safe and warm in her car and himself out of the elements he realized that he didn’t ask Iris for her number or email. He felt so stupid. Fate had brought the beautiful Iris West back in his life, he had felt more joy and exhilaration in the few moments he spent with her than he had in years and yet he couldn’t have enough foresight to get her contact information. He had to hope that now that he knew she was in Central City he would be able to contact her and hopefully he could do it without having to join any kind of social media, Barry really didn’t like the social media life.

Just as he was about to drive away he realized that Iris still hadn’t left. He could barely see what looked like a light from her phone in her car and he presumed that she was talking to her boyfriend, maybe letting him know that she was on her way. But something was nagging at Barry. He couldn’t explain it but he felt like he had to go to her and make sure everything was ok. He bundled up again, opened his car door, braced the elements and ran over to Iris’s car and tapped on the window.

“BARRY!” Iris screamed as she was not expecting anyone to be around. She opened her car door to talk to him. “You scared me. What are doing? It’s freezing outside. Go around to the passenger side and get in.”

Barry followed her instructions and got in. “Iris what are you still doing here? You’ve got to get going before the visibility is so low you won’t be able to see anything.”

“I wish I could, but my car won’t start. I think the battery’s dead. I called AAA but they said it will probably be an hour before they can get anyone out here to help me.”

“I’ve got some jumper cables. Let me bring my car over here and I’ll give you a jump, that will at least get you home,” Barry said and before Iris could even thank him he was already out of her car and pulling his car beside hers. Iris got out to see if she could offer him any assistance. “Iris, get back in the car. It’s too cold for you to be out here, especially with how you’re……OH NO, Cisco, dammit.”

“Barry, what’s wrong?”

“I lent my friend Cisco my car last week so he could help our friend Caitlin move into her new place. He told me he had to take some of my stuff out to make room for the boxes and I now see that he didn’t put the jumper cables back. I have no way of helping you.” The look of frustration on Barry’s face made Iris smile. It wasn’t that she liked to see him frustrated but the fact that he cared so deeply about helping her showed Iris what a good man he was. She realized that while Barry had changed from the awkward teen she once knew into a handsome man his kind heart had remain unchanged, he was still so gentle, so generous.

“I tried to call my friends Linda and Scott but neither one picked up and my brother is still out of town. I’ll just have to wait for AAA to come,” Iris sighed, resigning herself to a long, cold night.

“Iris, there is no way I’m leaving you out here in this terrible storm by yourself. Look around, you can barely see two feet in front of you. And even if AAA said one hour, with these conditions and probably a lot of emergencies it could take so much longer.”

“You’re probably right about that, but I’m sure one of my friends will be getting back to me very soon.”

“I’m sure they will but depending on where they are in the city it might be too dangerous for them to drive to you. If its okay with you, why don’t I drive you home,” Barry offered, voice full of hope.

Iris quickly weighed all her options and she realized that he was right about everything, especially the part about getting out of this worsening storm as soon as possible. “If you’re sure it’s not too much trouble, then yes, I’d love for you to drive me home Barry.”

Just the way she said his name made Barry long for her to say it over and over again. “Good. Give me your keys and go get in my car and start to warm up please.” Iris did just that and she watched as Barry took all her belongings, including all the groceries she had just bought, and put them in his car. Iris was so grateful for Barry in that moment. She closed her eyes and exhaled and thanked God that He had brought Barry back into her life on this snowy Christmas Eve.

As the drivers side door opened the cold air snapped Iris out of her reverie, she opened her eyes and saw Barry smiling brightly at her as he asked, “Where to my lady?”

Iris softly laughed, “1141 Central City West and 5th Avenue.”

The car ride was quiet. Iris could tell that Barry was concentrating very closely on the road and she was glad that he was. With every passing minute the snow was falling harder, the wind was gusting more and the slush on the ground made the road feel very uneasy. Iris would sneak glances at Barry and she wondered what he was thinking when she saw his brow furrow or his ears turn red.   
  
“That’s your building on the right,” Barry asked, wanting to confirm that he was right.

“That’s it,” Iris confirmed.

Barry pulled in front of the building and he and Iris started to get out of the car as the doorman approached them. “I’m sorry sir but you can’t leave your car here.”

“It’s ok George, Mr Allen is only dropping me off. He’ll only be about ten minutes.”

“Haven’t you heard the news Ms. West. Mayor Singh has declared a State of Emergency over all of Central City. Anyone seen driving will be immediately detained and escorted to a shelter that will keep everyone safe and warm.”

Barry and Iris immediately exchanged unsteady glances. “Thank you for letting us know that George. I’m going to talk to Mr. Allen for a minute and then we’ll move his car,” Iris said as she joined Barry by his car. “Sooo….”

“Yeah, um, well, I don’t live that far away from here. Maybe I can leave my car and walk home,” Barry said with absolutely no confidence in his voice.

“For real? How far away are we talking about here,” Iris asked with her arms folded across her chest.

“Well, about, you know, maybe, like 20 minutes by car.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. Barry there’s no way you can walk that far in this weather, you’ll freeze to death and I can’t lose you now that you’re back in my life.” Iris realized the gravity of what she said and she tried quickly to recover, “I mean, now that you’re back in Central City with all your friends I just want to make sure that nothing happens to you on my watch.” She hoped that made things more clear and more platonic. She liked Barry but didn’t want to come across as overbearing. She had no idea about his personal life, for all Iris knew, he probably had a girlfriend.

Barry could feel himself turning red. That was the second time tonight Iris had said something super sweet and mildly flirty to him and every time she did he felt the most wonderful sensation of pure happiness. It was a feeling he wanted to feel more of. But he knew that would have to wait. “Iris, I really don’t know what to do. I can’t walk or drive anywhere. I’m kinda….”

“Stuck. My thought exactly. I think there’s only one thing we can do. You’re going to have to stay with me tonight,” Iris offered not really sure how Barry would react.

“What,” Barry asked not realizing he asked with a huge smile on his face.

Iris starting laughing and Barry didn’t understand why. “What are you laughing at?”

“Do you realize you’re smiling from ear to ear?”

Barry turned bright red and rubbed the back of his neck. He was so embarrassed but he couldn’t help himself. An invitation to stay with Iris West for the night, even though he knew it was just one person helping a stranded person through a storm, was still a once in a lifetime invitation. “Sorry, no I didn’t realize I was smiling.”

“So is that smile a yes? You’ll stay with me tonight,” Iris asked, her voice in a whisper.

Barry took a step closer to Iris and looked deeply into her eyes and with his voice lowered he whispered, “I’d love to spend the night with you Iris.”

They stood there looking at each other amidst the falling snow and freezing wind. There is no telling how long they would have stood there if they hadn’t both heard, “Ms. West can we please move this car?” Barry and Iris took a step back from each other and Iris could immediately feel the cold seep into her bones. It was as if being so close to Barry had given her a haven from all the elements. She pulled herself together and got back in Barry’s car. He followed suit, got in too and Iris instructed him to pull into the private parking garage. She directed him to her spot, where he parked his car. He and Iris grabbed all their belongings and groceries and proceeded to her apartment.

Iris lived on the 35th floor and when Barry stepped inside he was immediately blown away by the size and beauty of the apartment. There were high ceilings, panoramic view windows, the lighting was soft and the décor was elegant yet warm and inviting.

“Would you mind taking your shoes off,” Iris politely asked.

“Not at all,” Barry replied, as he removed his shoes and hung his coat on the coatrack. “You have a beautiful home Iris. It reflects you perfectly.”

“Thank you Barry,” Iris replied as she began putting all the groceries away. “Do you mind if I put your groceries away with mine? You’re obviously going to be here for awhile, so……..”

“Yea, of course. I really didn’t buy very much.”

“I can see that, three frozen dinners, bag of Doritos, six pack of beer, carton of eggs and bacon. That’s quite the health kick you’re on.”

Barry snickered, “HA HA very funny. Cut me some slack. I was tired and hungry and grabbed the first things that sounded good.”

“I was tired and hungry too but I somehow managed to get fruits, vegetables and some lean protein into my cart,” Iris said rather haughtily.

“Along with TWO bottles of red wine and TWO gallons of mint chocolate chip ice cream,” Barry replied in a taunting tone.

“You better watch yourself mister or I’m going to kick you out in the snow,” Iris said as she laughed and playfully hit Barry on the shoulder. “Now can I leave you alone for a few minutes while I go upstairs and change into some warmer clothes?”

“Of course, why don’t I try and fix us something to eat. I have to earn the generous accommodations you’re providing for me.”

“You cook.” Iris asked as she arched her eyebrow.

“Yes I do. Despite my caveman grocery picks I’m actually pretty handy in the kitchen. What do you feel like?”

“I hate that I’m about to say this, but those bacon and eggs sound pretty good right now,” Iris said with a chuckle as she made her way to her staircase.

“Iris West these bacon and eggs are going to be so good you’ll never want me to leave,” Barry said with too much hubris and now he felt like the one that was being flirty and he knew that sounded too forward. “What I mean is, it will be really good and you’ll probably want them again,” Barry said avoiding eye contact with Iris.

Iris noticed Barry’s quick change in demeanor and tried to make him feel comfortable again, “I know what you mean Barry, don’t worry. So pots and pans are in those two cabinets by the dish washer and all utensils are in the two drawers on the island. Plates and bowls are in the cabinet above the Vitamix. I’ll be back down in about 20 minutes.” And with that Iris went upstairs and collapsed on her bed.

She couldn’t quite believe what was happening. It was Christmas Eve, a night that she had originally planned on spending alone with a bottle of red wine, mint chocolate chip ice cream and an old school Law and Order marathon. But now she was snowed in with Barry Allen who was fixing them dinner at, she looked at her phone, 9pm and she was overwhelmed with the feelings of comfort, confusion and desire. She knew she couldn’t lay there all night and compartmentalize her feelings so she decided to be proactive. She got up, picked out a pair of black yoga pants and an off the shoulder sweatshirt, and decided to take a quick shower, hoping that might clear her head.

Barry was busy at work in the kitchen. He decided that he would make Iris one of his spicy omelettes with crispy bacon. He busied himself chopping, mixing and keeping a close watch on the bacon so that it would be crisp but not burnt. What he was really trying to do was keep his mind off of Iris and the situation he found himself in. He felt such a connection with Iris. Being around her made him feel happy and whole, as if that thing he had been missing most of his adult life had finally been found. He had to stop and wonder if what he was feeling was lust because he was so incredibly attracted to her. He longed to feel what he knew would be her soft, supple skin against his fingertips. He wondered what she tasted like and what sounds she would make in her passionate moments of fulfillment. And while he did yearn for all of that physical closeness he knew in his heart that what he felt for Iris went beyond lust, it went beyond anything he had ever felt before. It defied explanation.

He took a deep breath and returned his focus to the dinner he was preparing. His bacon was ready and the omelette had about five minutes. He didn’t want to rush Iris, but he did want her downstairs to enjoy this dinner while the omelette was hot and the bacon crisp, so he took a chance and raised his voice so Iris could hear him upstairs, “Hey Iris, dinner will be ready in about five minutes.”

“Okay, I’m just out of the shower and getting dressed. I will be down in five minutes exactly.”

“Great,” Barry said in a strained voice as the image of Iris out of the shower completely took over Barry’s body. “Come on man, get a grip. Finish dinner,” Barry thought and repeated to himself over and over again.

Iris took one last look at herself in the mirror before going downstairs. She had enjoyed her shower, it helped to relax her. She put her hair in a high ponytail and refreshed her face with some mascara and lip gloss. Usually when Iris was spending time with a guy she liked at her place she made sure her hair and makeup were perfect, but with Barry she didn’t feel the need to do all that. She felt so comfortable with him, so at ease, that she knew she could let her walls down and let him see all the different facets of herself.

“Wow, Barry that smells amazing,” Iris said as she came downstairs.

“Just in time,” Barry happily said as he finished placing the omelettes and bacon on the plates. “I hope you enjoy it.”

Barry sat down and Iris marveled at the beautiful meal Barry had made for them while she opened a bottle of wine. The meal looked like it was something right out of Bon Appetit magazine. And then she tasted it.

“Oh my gosh, Barry this is incredible,” Iris said trying not to be too rude with a mouth full of food. “Where did you learn to make an omelette like this? Your girlfriend must have taught you.” Iris hoped she wasn’t coming across as too obvious.

Barry smiled and shook his head, “No girlfriend, no wife, no one special in my life right now. I learned to cook in Spain. I spent a year there working for an architectural restoration project. On the weekends I would do my best to immerse myself in local culture and one of the things they pride themselves on in Spain is their meals. It’s hard to describe. In America we’re always in a rush to eat, grab breakfast, make a pit stop for lunch, microwave a frozen dinner but in Spain they pride themselves on taking their time with their food preparation. Every ingredient is fresh, every combination of spices is meant to tantalize the tongue, every mouthful of food is meant to be savored and every meal you share with someone you love is a cherished moment in time. When I was there I learned that I needed to slow down and as cliched as it sounds, smell the roses, appreciate the small moments of joy that life can bless us with.”

“Sounds like you learned a lot while you were there.”

“I did. I learned a lot about myself and what I really want out of life. That’s why I returned home to Central City.”

“And what is that? What do you really want out of life,” Iris asked as she leaned in closer to Barry.

He stared at her for a moment, taking in and memorizing every inch of her beautiful face before he replied, “I want to fall in love with someone special. I want to be in love completely with a woman that is my partner and best friend. I want to live with her and laugh with her and love her all day. And at night I want to….”

Iris gasped. She had been so completely enthralled with what Barry was saying that her mobile phone ringing made her almost jump out of her skin. “Sorry about that, excuse me minute,” Iris said as she went to answer her phone. “Hello, Hey there……”

Barry watched Iris as she continued her phone conversation and he couldn’t believe what he was just saying. He had never been this open with someone he had just met. Even though he knew Iris in high school, peripherally, it had been a long time since they had seen one another and yet there was something about Iris. He felt connected to her and he felt safe with her. He wanted to share his hopes and dreams with her but he also needed to know more about her, especially one important detail.

“I’m sorry that took so long,” Iris said as she returned to the table.

“No, worries. Um, checking in with your, um, boyfriend,” Barry asked as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“No,” Iris said smiling ever so slightly, enjoying how cute Barry could be when he was embarrassed. “It was my friend Linda making sure I got home safely after I left her the voicemail from the parking lot.” Iris knew she should elaborate about her boyfriend situation but she wanted to have a little bit of fun with Barry.

“That’s nice of her. She must be a good friend. It’s good to have good friends. Good female friends, good male friends, good boyfriends or friends that are boys, good people, people that need people are the……”

“Iris put this boy out of his misery,” she thought to herself. “You’re right Barry, it’s really important to have good people in your life that you can depend on for anything. I’m very blessed to have those amazing people in my life, and I, uh, I hope one day I will have a special man to share my life with, but there is no one special in my life right now.” Iris looked directly at Barry when she said that and she was sure she saw a wave of relief wash over his handsome face. God, she really liked him.

That was music to Barry’s ears. He couldn’t believe a woman as extraordinary as Iris was single but he was grateful that she was. He felt a rush of confidence, one that made him want to know more about her, ask her more questions. “So, I’m surprised you’re not with your family on Christmas Eve. How’s your dad and your brother? I remember them always coming to the high school and supporting everything you did.” Barry immediately noticed the change in Iris’s demeanor and facial expression. She stood up and walked over to her sofa in the living room and sat down. Barry wasn’t sure if he should, but he couldn’t help himself and he followed her and sat beside her. It pained him how sad she looked and he cursed that so called confidence he felt. He feared he might have gotten too personal too soon. “I’m sorry Iris I didn’t mean to pry. I ….”

“No, don’t apologize, it’s not you, it’s just a difficult topic for me to discuss, especially this time of year,” Iris said as she could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. “My brother, Wally, is traveling right now. He is on a self proclaimed sabbatical, trying to find himself and his life’s true purpose. His quest began about three months after our dad died.”

Barry closed his eyes and exhaled as he said, “Iris I’m so sorry. I wish I could help you.”

Iris wiped away the tears that had fallen down her face and gave Barry a small smile, “You have helped me.”

“What?”

“You have helped me Barry.’’

“I don’t understand, what do you mean,” Barry asked thoroughly perplexed.

“Do you remember sophomore year we had Chemistry together?”

“How could I forget! It was my favorite class and I got to sit next to the most popular and beautiful girl in school, who actually talked to me.”

“I always liked talking to you Barry. Do you remember that one class we had where I had that awful day and I was in the worst mood?”

Barry chuckled, “I remember it like it was yesterday. It was the only time I ever saw you cry.”

Iris was shocked that he still remembered that day. “Yeah, my boyfriend had dumped me in the morning , I lost the school election in the afternoon and the last period of the day I see I got a C- on the Chemistry test. It was like the worst day of high school.”

“When you started to cry I wanted to help you so bad but the only thing I could think of was so stupid. I still can’t believe I started talking about Star Trek,” Barry said as he rubbed his hands across his face, still feeling embarrassment all these years later.

“At the time I thought you were super sweet talking to me about this thing that you obviously loved so much, little did I know that it would become a beacon of light for me.” Iris could see the confusion on Barry’s face so she continued. “Remember how you told me that high school basically sucked all the time and whenever you were really sad or lost you would watch Star Trek because the message was always so hopeful and positive. You always felt better because you envisioned a place like Star Trek where you would fit in and not be judged for what you looked like or what you did with your life. You were just so passionate about this show and how much it helped you.” Iris exhaled and stood up from the sofa and started to pace in front of Barry. “Last year just after Thanksgiving my dad unexpectedly passed away from a heart attack. It was such a shock and, I, um, I was really sad and hurt and lost but I knew I had to stay strong for Wally so that helped me get through the days and I tried to manage my grief. But when Wally decided he had to leave Central City to get away from all the memories of dad and find himself, I was left all alone. I, I um, I buried myself in work but most days I felt like my sadness and hurt were quicksand that I was trying not to drown in.” Iris stopped pacing and stood in front of Barry as she tried to control the tears that were falling. “It all became too much and one night I was drinking a lot, too much, and I was thinking of taking some sleeping pills and just finally being at peace.”

“Iris, no,” Barry said and immediately stood up in front of Iris. Her admission scared him and he wanted to be close to her.

“I was at my lowest point and in a fit of angry grief I screamed and shoved everything off of my coffee table. When I did the tv remote fell on the floor and clicked the tv on and guess what was on?”

“Star Trek,” Barry replied.

“The Next Generation,” Iris said as the tears continued to fall down her face.

“That was my favorite one,” Barry said as he gingerly used his thumb to wipe the tears from her cheek.

“The episode had just started, the credits were rolling and when I saw it I instantly thought of you and how much it had helped you, so I watched it. I loved it. It took my mind off of what I was going to do. It was everything you said it was and I binged watched every episode of every show and all the movies for two weeks. During the day it was uplifting entertainment and at night it helped soothe me to sleep.” Iris gently placed her hands on Barry’s face, “If you hadn’t been so kind to me that day and shared a part of yourself with me I might have made a terrible mistake and we wouldn’t be standing here together right now. I’ve often thought of you and wished I could tell you how you saved me but I didn’t know where you were and you’re not on any social media platforms. I thought about launching an investigation to find you but I thought that might cross some boundaries of privacy. But as fate would have it here you are in my living room and I’ve been given the chance to say thank you Barry Allen.” And with that declaration Iris rose to her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around Barry’s neck and tightly hugged him.

Barry was so moved by Iris’s words that he didn’t know what to say. He simply held her in his arms and swayed with her back and forth to a rhythm all their own. He felt Iris gently pull away from him and she looked up into eyes and smiled that incredible smile of hers. He softly caressed her face and overwhelmed with his feelings for her he gingerly kissed her. Iris easily fell into the kiss but a moment later she pulled back from Barry.

“Barry, I….um…..”

“Iris I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…….”

“No, please don’t apologize, it’s not you. I was overwhelmed. It’s difficult for me to talk about that time in my life. I’ve never told anyone what I just told you.” Iris was feeling her vulnerability a little to deeply. She hated feeling vulnerable and she hated anyone see that side of her. She felt safe with Barry but between talking about the worst time of her life and the pure, confusing exhilaration of Barry’s kiss she thought it might be time to call it a night. “Listen, I think I’m going to turn in.”

“Iris please don……”

But Iris didn’t listen. “The guest room is down the hall on the left. The room is clean and the linens and towels are fresh. There are brand new toothbrushes and toiletries in the bathroom. Thank you for everything Barry. Goodnight.”

Barry wanted nothing more than to apologize to her and make her feel better but he thought it best to give her what she wanted so he simply half smiled and said, “Goodnight Iris.”

 

 

Iris had been laying wide awake in her bed for two hours. All she could think about was Barry and that kiss. That sweet, gentle kiss. A kiss filled with so much tenderness that it made her ache and long for more kisses like that one. She kept chastising herself for pulling away from Barry. Her actions were not a reflection on Barry and how she felt about him but rather about how open and emotionally naked she felt with a man that she had just become reacquainted with a few hours prior. It had been a long time since Iris had loved a man and been loved by a man and she realized that she wanted to see where things might lead with Barry. All these feelings, that she hadn’t felt in ages, were overwhelming her. She closed her eyes and exhaled. She wanted to try and get some sleep hopefully make Barry understand why she pulled away from him in the morning. She decided to go downstairs and make herself Grandma Esther’s warm milk and honey sleep remedy.

Barry continued to toss and turn. Despite the comfortable, in fact quite luxurious guest room, Barry couldn’t sleep or even rest, all he could think about was Iris. He was so upset with himself for going too far and kissing her. Her story had touched him so deeply. He could have never imagined that something he told Iris so long ago could have been a catalyst to save her. He was happy that being a nerd had finally done some good for someone else. He was happy that he could indirectly help Iris. Hearing her recount her story, being so close to her, wiping the tears from the soft skin of her cheek it made his heart soar which overrode any and all logical, hence the kiss. A kiss he loved. The physical closeness was what he yearned for with Iris. Her soft full lips and warm sweet breath were intoxicating and he wished she felt the same way. But given her reaction to his kiss he realized that she probably just wanted to to be friends.

As Barry continued to long for Iris he heard what sounded like some movement in the kitchen. He sat up in bed and listened, glad that he hadn’t closed his door. He was trying to determine what Iris was doing and he heard the crash of glass and Iris gasped.

“Iris!”, Barry exclaimed as he jumped out of bed and ran down the hallway towards the kitchen. “Iris, are you okay? What happened?”

“Oh Barry, I was trying to quietly make some warm milk and I dropped my cup and saucer and I think one of the pieces is stuck in my foot,” Iris said her voice strained with pain.

“Okay, Iris hold on.” Barry stumbled around in the dark for a moment then found the kitchen light switch, he flipped it on and surveyed the damage. There were shards of glass all around Iris’s bare feet and he saw the blood coming from the top of her foot. He quickly put on his shoes that he had left at Iris’s front door and carefully walked over to her making sure not to make the mess any worse. He gave her a small smile and said, “I hope this is okay,” and with that he easily picked her up bridal style and carefully took her out of the kitchen.

He held her tight and she wrapped her arms around his neck trying to manage the pain she felt. “Iris, where is your first aid kit? I need to tend to that cut right now, it’s bleeding pretty good.”

“It’s upstairs in my bathroom,” she said softly in his ear.

Her warm breath tickled his neck and that feeling made him pull her even closer to him. “Can I take you upstairs?”

She nodded her head and said, “Second door on the right.” Then she closed her eyes and rested her head on Barry’s chest. She felt bad that she must have startled Barry out of sleep and that’s why he was shirtless and only wearing his boxers.

He quickly yet carefully took Iris upstairs and when he entered the door she indicated he was surprised to see her bedroom. He hesitated a moment before he went inside and Iris could feel him stop and inhale deeply.

“My bathroom is inside my bedroom suite,” she said and she felt Barry nod his head in understanding. He slowly walked over to her bed and laid her down with such tenderness and care that she almost forgot about the pain that was surging through her foot, almost. “The first aid kit is in the cabinet under the sink.”

As Barry went to retrieve the kit, Iris repositioned her pillows against her headboard and propped herself up and it was then that she realized she was only wearing her black, silk nightgown, the one that barely covered her ass and showed the ample curvature of her breasts. She was looking around for her robe when Barry called to her, “Where are your towels?”

“In the cabinet by the bathtub.”

“Got it.” Barry reappeared from the bathroom and Iris had no time to find her robe so she did her best to cover herself with her sheet.

“Ok, let’s take a look at this foot. May I?”

“Yes,” Iris whispered and Barry gingerly took Iris’s foot in his left hand and the calf of her leg in his right hand and positioned her right in his lap. He was glad that he had the foresight to put a towel in his lap because the feel of her soft skin under his fingertips and the proximity of her foot to his manhood was starting to make him hard. He quietly exhaled and started to clean the cut trying hard not to steal glances of her exposed leg or be jealous of the sheet that covered her, he wanted to be the one to cover her.

Iris watched, no studied Barry, as he cleaned her cut with alcohol, then took tweezers and removed the shard of glass from her foot, placed the antibacterial ointment on the cut then carefully bandaged the wound. At each stage he put so much love into taking care of her that she really didn’t feel any pain, only mild discomfort, and she could feel herself getting emotional. During the last two years she had broken up with her longtime boyfriend, buried her beloved father and said goodbye to baby brother, she had lost so much. No one had looked out for her, cared for her the way Barry had tonight and as incomprehensible as it might be she was falling for him, hard and fast. She wanted more of him, more of this. She wanted to shop with him at Whole Foods and be one of those loved up couples. She wanted to have more conversations over home cooked meals he made and wine she chose. She wanted him to touch her in every way possible and feel that physical connection that bonds two people together in the most intimate of ways. She wanted Barry Allen and she wanted him right now.

“There you go Iris, how does that feel? Is the bandage too tight?” Barry asked and was puzzled when Iris didn’t respond immediately and instead she just stared at him with what he swore looked like adoration and desire. “Iris are you okay? Do want an adv…..” But before he could finish what he was saying Iris had surged forward and pressed her lips against Barry’s. He was surprised and confused but his primal instinct overtook any thoughts he was having and he kissed her back. Their lips danced together like they had kissed a hundred times before and their tongues played together like they each instinctively knew what the other wanted. But the more Barry kissed Iris the harder he was getting and if he didn’t stop soon and figure out what was going on he wasn’t sure if he would have the strength to stop at all.

Breathlessly he tried to pull away from her and ask, “Iris, Iris…….wait, wait wait…..what’s going on? I thought……I mean downstairs when you……..Iris you have got to stop kissing my neck like that or we won’t be able to have this conversation, and we really need to…….oh, Iris you’ve got to stop moaning like that, you’re killing me.”

“Do you like it when I moan in your ear,” she seductively asked him and then proceeded to nibble on his earlobe.

“I like everything you do. I like you so much, you have no idea, but I need to understand where all this is coming from.” And with every ounce of strength he had Barry pulled himself away from Iris, got off the bed and stood up in front of her and waited for her answer.

Iris smiled at the sight of Barry in front of her handsome and flushed. “Barry maybe you should sit down because of your…….”

“No Iris, I’m not moving until we talk.”

“Barry, it’s just your, it’s kind of hard to concentrate,” Iris said as she gestured with her eyes and head to his tented boxer shorts.

“Oh, yeah, right, sorry.” And with an embarrassed look on his face he grabbed the towel he used earlier and wrapped it around his waist. Iris realized that that didn’t help very much and she began to wonder just how big Barry was. She slowly maneuvered herself off her bed, really no longer concerned by her lack of clothes, and stood right in front of Barry and looked deeply in eyes.

“Barry, listen to me. Before, downstairs, the reason I pulled away from you had nothing to do with you and how I feel about you. You have to understand that talking about that time in my life is incredibly painful and it opens up the wounds that run the deepest. It makes me vulnerable and I feel weak and I hate showing my weakness to anyone. But you must know that I instantly regretted pulling away from you. I’m so happy that I’ve finally been given the chance to thank you for helping me, for saving me.” Iris took a step closer to Barry so she was almost flush against him and placed her hands on his face. “I truly believe there is a reason why fate has brought you back in my life and want to know what that reason is. I want to know you Barry Allen, all of you and I want to show you and share with you every part of me. And tonight, right here, right now all I want to do is make love to you.”

Barry caressed Iris’s arms as he asked, “Are you sure? I don’t know what to call this thing that is happening between us but it’s happened pretty quickly and I know I don’t want it to end with us just being together for one night. I want to wake up with you in my arms tomorrow morning and the next morning and the next week and month. There haven’t been that many things that I’ve been absolutely sure of in my life, but you Iris, being with you, building a life with you, loving you, these are the things I’m absolutely sure I don’t ever want to live without.” Barry pulled Iris closer to him and kissed her forehead, then the tip of her nose and then finally her mouth. She responded by passionately kissing him back and he broke away from the kiss only to whisper in her ear, “I want you so much Iris.”

Iris kissed his neck and his bare chest and then took his hand and led him over to her bed. She traced her finger around the waistband of his boxer shorts and then she took both of her hands and very slowly removed his boxers, licked her lips as she surveyed what was about to be hers and then she seductively instructed him, “Sit Barry, Sit.” She locked eyes with him and slowly took her hand and began to caress her neck, then her breasts and finally she started to caress her sweet spot of pleasure. She threw her head back and moaned at the sensation of her pulsating clit. Barry couldn’t believe his eyes. Iris was the beautiful, desirable woman he had ever seen but to see her caress her body and pleasure herself was almost too much for Barry to handle. If he didn’t take control of the situation he was sure he was going to come right then and there. He reached out to grab her arm but she pulled back saying, “Aren’t you an eager boy. Don’t you like the show?” With her seductive smile and delicious gleam in her eye Barry knew he was in for the best night of his life.

“I…..I……Yeah this show is like every dream and fantasy come true but I might not make it through this show, if you know what I mean.”

She walked over to him, took her knee and spread open his legs, bent down and whispered in his ear, “It’s okay if you come right now Barry, I can guarantee to make you come more than once tonight.” And with that she removed her black silk nightgown, took Barry’s hands and placed them on the waistband of her black, lace panties. “Take them off Barry.” It took his mind a moment to comprehend what she had said because the sight of Iris, naked in front of him, with her perfectly, round breasts and the glisten of her gorgeous mocha skin had temporarily rendered him awestruck.

“Barry, I want you right now.” And as if a fire had been lit under him, he pulled her panties down, waited as she stepped out of them, kissed her sweet, wet folds and then he picked her up, threw her on the bed and began what would be the most passionate night of lovemaking either one of them had ever experienced.

 

 

Barry started to move and stretch in bed. He inhaled deeply and the smell of lavender and vanilla tickled his nose and it immediately conjured up images of Iris in his mind. He was still half asleep as he let himself remember the bliss of the night before. It had been, without a doubt, the best night of his life. They made love all night. At times it was slow and sweet and at other times it was passionate and hungry. Iris had made him wish the night would never end and he knew now that all he wanted to do was to live to love her.

As he slowly began to open his eyes he became more cognizant of his surroundings and as he turned to catch his first look at his beautiful love, he was surprised to see that she wasn’t there. He called to her, “Iris.” No response. “Iris.” Again nothing and just as he was about to get up the bedroom door opened and their was his dream, walking towards him with a tray full of food and the biggest, brightest smile on her face.

“Merry Christmas my love.” She happily exclaimed as she put the tray down and leaned in to give Barry a good morning kiss.

“Did you make me breakfast in bed, and pancakes no less.”

“After last night I thought you might need some replenishment,” she said as she seductively arched her eyebrow. “Last night was incredible Barry.”

“It was everything to me. You’re everything to me. I want this Iris. I want us, together, always.”

She smiled and inhaled, so happy and excited that he wanted the same thing that she did. “I want the same thing Barry. I want this to be the first of every Christmas we spend together.”

“Come here,” he said smiling and Iris put the tray on top of her dresser bureau and crawled into his arms. He held her close and kissed the top of her head, languishing in the sweet smell of her hair. Holding her in his arms made him realize that he had never been this happy and fulfilled and couldn’t wait to spend the rest of his life with her. This was the best Christmas ever.

Iris hugged him tighter and as if she could read his mind she said, “Best Christmas ever, right.”

Barry laughed, “Yeah, best Christmas ever.” He took his hand, caressed her face and tilted her chin up and kissed her with the tenderness that told her how much he loved her.”

“Merry Christmas Barry Allen.”

“Merry Christmas Iris West.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope you enjoyed it. Comments and feedback are appreciated, but please be kind, again this is only my second work of fiction and romance is a challenge for me, but I figure if I don’t try and practice then I’m never going to improve. I hope to continue writing and I would love any Westallen AU suggestions that anyone has.
> 
> Again, thank you for reading this. I appreciate all of you.


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